


Rewrite The Stars

by Astri



Series: The Chaos After You [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Fix-It, Introspection, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Pre-Thor (2011), Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 15:57:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14855768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astri/pseuds/Astri
Summary: Thor is sent back to the day of his coronation.--Fate has given him a second chance, and he won’t let things happen the same way. This time, he will be there for Loki right from the beginning.





	Rewrite The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> For those who asked for a sequel to 'Chasing The Light', here it is :)

* * *

 

He’s on the _Statesman_.

He’s on the Rainbow Bridge.

He’s on Sakaar.

He’s on Midgard, he’s on Asgard, he’s on Muspelheim, he’s on Svartalfheim, he’s on Jotunheim.

Phantasmagoric scenes from days and years gone by flash past before him like rapidly flipping pages of a book. When at last he lands after what felt like days of falling through an endless tunnel of light, all he feels is a desperate sense of relief.

If Thor ever assumed that traveling in time might not be that different from being transported through the Bifrost just because its powers were partially involved, now he learns that he was wrong. Right now he feels lightheaded, nauseous and numb all over, and his only reassurance is in the feeling of solid ground beneath him. At least he has arrived in Asgard, where he should be—that much he knows, even before he is wholly conscious. He blinks, and thankfully the world slowly swims into focus just as the incessant ringing in his ears gradually subsides.

Vaguely Thor wonders if what he has just experienced might be akin to what Loki had gone through when he fell into the abyss, the first time Thor lost him. _No,_ he concludes immediately, gripped by a sharp pang in his chest as he recalls how deranged and broken his brother had been when he found him on Midgard. _‘Who controls the would-be king?’_ he remembers asking Loki, but he did not push for an answer then. By the time he inevitably found out about Thanos, it had been far too late. _‘I’ve seen worlds you’ve never known about,’_ Loki had told him then. He must have suffered so much worse in the time that Thor had thought him dead. And yet, Thor never cared enough to ask. When they returned home after the battle of New York, he was so furious and disappointed with what Loki had done that he refused to even visit him in the dungeons. He never showed his brother concern, never asked him _why_. If only he had, perhaps he would have known about the Mad Titan sooner, and Loki wouldn't have—

Thor suppresses the tears gathering in his eyes, reminding himself that he has to be strong. Fate has given him a second chance, and he won’t let things happen the same way. This time, he will be there for Loki right from the beginning.

The first thing he sees as his sight clears is a dark shadow hovering right in front of his eyes. Out of reflex he seizes it frantically and yanks it away before it can touch him. He hears a small grunt of pain and he stiffens, heart pounding hard in his chest. There is skin and warmth where one of his fingers touches and he dares to feel so much _hope_ , but it’s not enough—he needs to _know_ for sure. He loosens his hold but doesn’t let go for fear that his only anchor might slip away.

It feels like an eternity before his vision finally swims to the sight of wide and concerned green eyes, mere inches from his own. The hall is dimly lit, but Thor is dazzled by the light nevertheless. It’s Loki, donning his magnificent horned headpiece and elegantly dressed for the occasion—it’s the day of Thor’s long-awaited coronation. The day when everything started to fall apart. _This time I won’t let it,_ Thor reminds himself resolutely.

They’re standing in the antechamber under the throne room where the ceremony will take place shortly, just like in Thor’s dream. It feels like the first time was such a long time ago, even though it wasn’t really; it was but a heartbeat in his interminable lifetime, yet he feels shaken by how things had managed to change so drastically. In that seemingly trivial amount of time, he had lost everyone and everything significant to him—his mother, his father, his friends, his home, his brother. His dear brother who is miraculously standing before him right now, looking so impossibly young, so very much _alive_. He stands tall, regal and confident, a demeanour perfectly befitting a proud prince of Asgard. Somehow his eyes look larger and brighter than Thor remembers, clear like glass orbs and free from any shadows, possessing an ever-present mischievous twinkle and a childlike innocence. Thor swears to protect this with his life—he will not allow these precious gems to lose their light ever again.

“Nervous, Brother?” asks Loki, pulling Thor out of his momentary stupor. He smiles uncertainly at Thor, trying to twist his arm out of Thor’s grip. Thor takes in a deep breath, willing himself not to break down or behave uncharacteristically. Gently he slides his hand from Loki’s wrist to his fingers and entwines them with his own.

“Aye,” he confesses shakily, looking Loki in the eye, though he isn’t referring to the coronation that isn’t going to happen. It must be convincing enough, because Loki’s expression softens at once and he squeezes Thor's hand comfortingly.

“You’ll be all right,” reassures Loki. “No one’s ever known the Mighty Thor to be nervous, am I right?” he encourages light-heartedly.

“There was the time in Nornheim...” Thor says slowly, trying to recall how their exchange went the first time, and realises belatedly that the dialogue has somehow switched between them.

For an instant he panics and worries that he has messed up, before remembering that he’s precisely here to alter the course of events and there’s no point in consciously trying to keep things predictable. And if he wants things to be different this time, the change will have to start from himself. For it was his arrogance and recklessness that led everything to disaster the first time. It was for that reason that Loki resorted to letting the Jotuns into Asgard to ruin his coronation in an attempt to save the Nine Realms from his immature rule. He quickly proved Loki’s concerns to be justified, thoughtlessly marching into Jotunheim to seek war, which in turn led to Loki discovering the truth about his parentage in the worst possible way. Then, while he was banished to Midgard to learn his lesson, Loki was left on Asgard to deal with the worst of the consequences all alone. While Thor had moved on by himself, Loki was left stranded on the same ground, with no one there to see or help him even as that ground began to crack and sink beneath him.

Thor wasn’t made aware of the truth until after he had lost Loki to the abyss, but he should have known. He should have realised that Loki was hurting terribly—his normally poised and collected brother had been hysterical and _crying_. Yet Thor had fell for Loki’s taunts and clashed with him, when that was surely the last thing that his brother had needed. It was Thor’s fault that Loki had fallen. He can’t—he _won't_ let that happen again. For now he must let Loki know that he will not ascend the throne—not yet. Not until Loki deems him worthy, and not without Loki. Until then he will assure Loki that he won’t be endangering the Nine Realms with his rule, show Loki that he has become a better man—he hopes he has. This time, he will be the brother that Loki deserves.

“I thought you insist that it wasn’t nerves, but the rage of battle,” says Loki in response, eyes twinkling in amusement. “You couldn’t have fought your way through a hundred warriors and pulled us out alive otherwise, right?”

Thor turns his attention back to the conversation. “Ah. That was but my pride speaking,” he admits sheepishly, remembering how ridiculously defensive he used to be about his ego. “I was overcome by nerves and blundered us into needless danger. You were the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape, as I recall. It was truly a brilliant trick,” he tells Loki sincerely, feeling regret that he used to belittle his brother’s talents. Loki widens his eyes in evident surprise, and Thor gazes back at him fondly.

The moment is interrupted by a stifled laugh and Loki’s gaze instantly hardens. Thor glances towards the source in confusion, and sees that it came from an attendant standing by the side carrying a goblet of wine. Before Thor can ask what the attendant wants, he sees that Loki has gestured towards the man with his free hand. Out of nowhere snakes appear and slither out of the goblet, making the attendant scream and fling it away in horror. Loki smiles in satisfaction and Thor chuckles.

“Ah, I love snakes,” Thor remarks delightedly. “Truly a _brilliant trick_ ,” he repeats his words emphatically. “Don’t you agree, my friend?” He turns to the attendant, raising a brow expectantly.

“Y-Yes, indeed,” the man stutters, bowing his head and scurrying out of the room as soon as he clears up the spilled wine that has since transformed back from the illusion. Thor stares at the attendant’s retreating back, feeling guilty and disappointed with himself. He cannot believe that he used to be so oblivious and ignorant as to condone such disrespectful behaviour towards the second prince of Asgard in the past. Clearly, this has to change.

“Thank you,” he tells Loki when it’s only the two of them again, appreciating that his brother has been trying to help ease his nerves all the while. Loki eyes him critically, and Thor returns his gaze, questioning.

“You’re being oddly sentimental today,” Loki eventually comments, frowning. “Brother, are you unwell?” he asks, looking concerned.

“No! Why would I be?” Thor laughs awkwardly, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck out of nervous habit before he can catch himself. Loki narrows his eyes in suspicion, obviously not buying the lie.

Thor sighs in defeat, lowering his hand. He decides there is no point in trying to be evasive with Loki—he tends to forget that his brother knows him better than anyone else in the world. “Do you not like it?” he asks instead what he genuinely wishes to know.

“It’s…not that,” Loki denies, dropping his gaze. “It just reminds me of the old you,” he whispers. “Of late you have become more...” He suddenly trails off, pursing his lips and looking up at Thor warily.

 _Vain, greedy, cruel—_ Thor finishes Loki’s sentence in his mind, remembering what Odin said of him before banishing him to Midgard. Having been the one to spend the most time with Thor, surely Loki must have seen it way before anyone else and known better. “Loki, be honest with me,” Thor asks in earnest. “Do you think me ill-suited for the throne?”

“It is not my place to say,” Loki says immediately, expression becoming guarded once again.

Thor’s heart aches. His brother should never have to feel the need to be reserved around him. “Brother, you can always speak your mind with me,” he tells Loki imploringly, gazing into his eyes. “You must know that your thoughts and feelings matter to me. Always.”

Loki looks at him with searching eyes before his gaze softens, a small smile forming on his lips. “Then trust me, Brother, when I say that I've looked forward to this day as long as you have,” he says, and Thor’s breath catches in his throat at those familiar words. “You're my brother and my friend,” says Loki softly. “Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt that I Iove you.”

And there they are—the words that Thor thought he could only dream of hearing again. He nearly weeps, feeling overwhelmingly grateful. “Thank you,” he whispers, curling a trembling hand around the back of Loki’s neck in an old, affectionate gesture.

“Now give us a kiss,” Loki teases playfully, smiling at him.

Thor flicks his gaze down to Loki’s lips, and before he can stop himself, leans forward and presses his own to them in a chaste, close-mouthed kiss. Loki widens his eyes and tenses, but almost at once he relaxes, eyes fluttering shut. Thor moves his lips against Loki’s tentatively—a question—and Loki instantly kisses back, encircling his arms around Thor. Thor’s pulse quickens and he brings an arm around Loki to steady himself, pulling his brother closer and deepening the kiss. Loki tastes of honey and apples—his favourite treats since he was little—and Thor never knew how much he has missed this until this moment.

They’ve shared many experimental, fumbling kisses before, but they haven’t done it since they grew out of adolescence—those were back when they were both young, curious and always together. Thor can’t remember when they stopped, but that must have been when they started to grow apart—when Thor began to neglect Loki and leave him behind without realising. Loki mentioned nothing about it, so Thor never asked—it was a mistake he had made countless times later that eventually cost him everything. He won’t let that happen again, he reminds himself once more. This time he will not leave Loki to hurt alone. And every day, he will make sure to let Loki know that he loves him, no matter what may happen.

“I love you too,” he breathes against Loki’s lips as soon as they part, as he should have told his brother the first time.

Loki’s eyes light up in the most beautiful shade of green, and Thor thinks of the sun.


End file.
